India loses 'substantial land' in 20-25 years along LAC to China

ET BureauJan 11, 2010, 05.58am IST

NEW DELHI: Government officials may have so far denied claims of violations committed by China across its borders with India, but it has been confirmed now that the latter has lost "substantial" amount of land along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the last two decades to Beijing.

At a recent government meeting attended by officials from the Jammu and Kashmir government, union ministry of home affairs and the Army, there was consensus that there was difference in the maps of various agencies of the LAC and that there was a lack of proper mapping of the area, said an agency report.

The report said officials at the meeting agreed that India is "withdrawing from LAC" and that though the process was slow, the country, it was pointed out, "had lost substantial amount of land in 20-25 years" to China.

According to the minutes of the meeting held in December, "there is a lack of institutional memory in various agencies as well as clear policy on this issue which in the long run has resulted in loss of territory by India in favour of China".

The meeting was convened to discuss protection for nomads who were having problems with the Chinese People's Liberation Army. The nomads, who move with their cattle to Dokbug area of Nyoma sector during the winter months every year, were threatened by the PLA, which damaged their tents and asked them to vacate the land.

"They (Chinese) have threatened the nomadic people who had been using Dokbug area (in Ladakh sector) for grazing since decades long, in a way to snatch our land in inches. A Chinese proverb is famous in the world — better do in inches than in yards," said a report filed by former Sub-Divisional Magistrate (Nyoma) Tsering Norboo, who was assigned to probe complaints of incursion by the PLA.

Mr Norboo concluded that this was another attempt by the Chinese to claim disputed territory. The area of Dokbug and Doley Tango was frequented by shepherds and nomads from December to March every year.

The government has so far publicly shrugged off Chinese incursions with the ministry of external affairs maintaining that these were misunderstandings that occurred due to the difference in perception between China and India on the border. External affairs minister S M Krishna had recently pointed out that India shared a long border with China and that he was hopeful of amicably settling the border dispute through dialogue.